David Perron #57 congratulates Brian Elliott #1 of the St. Louis Blues after they beat the San Jose Sharks in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 19, 2012 in San Jose, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

David Perron #57 congratulates Brian Elliott #1 of the St. Louis...

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Sharks center Logan Couture (center) ran into Blues goalie Brian Elliott and came out of it the worse for wear.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Sharks center Logan Couture (center) ran into Blues goalie Brian...

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Kevin Shattenkirk #22 of the St. Louis Blues collides with Brad Winchester #10 of the San Jose Sharks in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 19, 2012 in San Jose, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Kevin Shattenkirk #22 of the St. Louis Blues collides with Brad...

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Scott Nichol #12 of the St. Louis Blues collides with Justin Braun #61 of the San Jose Sharks in the second period of Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 19, 2012 in San Jose, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Scott Nichol #12 of the St. Louis Blues collides with Justin Braun...

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Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks puts a shot on goal against the St. Louis Blues in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 19, 2012 in San Jose, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Joe Pavelski #8 of the San Jose Sharks puts a shot on goal against...

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St. Louis Blues left wing David Perron (57) is unable to score past San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31), of Finland, during the first period in Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round hockey playoff series Thursday, April 19, 2012, in San Jose, Calif.

Photo: Paul Sakuma, Associated Press

St. Louis Blues left wing David Perron (57) is unable to score past...

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T.J. Oshie #74 of the St. Louis Blues tries to avoid being hit by Marc-Edouard Vlasic #44 of the San Jose Sharks in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HP Pavilion on April 19, 2012 in San Jose, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

T.J. Oshie #74 of the St. Louis Blues tries to avoid being hit by...

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St. Louis Blues right wing B.J. Crombeen (26) scores past San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi (31), of Finland, during the first period in Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round hockey playoff series Thursday, April 19, 2012, in San Jose, Calif.

Photo: Paul Sakuma, Associated Press

St. Louis Blues right wing B.J. Crombeen (26) scores past San Jose...

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San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) looks unemotional after he scored against the St. Louis Blues late in the third period in Game 4 of an NHL Stanley Cup first-round hockey playoff series, Thursday, April 19, 2012, in San Jose, Calif. The Blues defeated the Sharks 2-1. They lead the series 3-1.

Sometimes when you're playing the best defensive team in the league, it doesn't matter how well you play, you simply aren't going to score enough to win.

The Sharks played their best game of their first-round playoff series Thursday at the Tank, by far, really outplaying the Blues for the first time. But as it does better than any team in the league, St. Louis weathered the storm, collecting a 2-1 win and a 3-1 series lead.

The Sharks controlled the pace, were physical, had their best period of the playoffs in the second, got good goaltending, got the puck on net, created real scoring chances and drew penalties. The Blues handled it all, throwing themselves in front of pucks, collapsing, killing time by trapping the puck against the boards, dumping the puck, and then sneaking a few in at the other end.

"I thought it was probably our best 60-minute effort in the series," Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said, "but you can't take consolation in having a good game. Not in the playoffs. You have to find ways to win."

Winger Joe Pavelski said, "We had some good looks. It felt good. We're pleased with the opportunities, just not the outcome. We need to find ways to get the outcome."

Against St. Louis, which set a modern-era league record for fewest goals allowed in the regular season, a huge part of that is not playing from behind. That made an early save by Brian Elliott on Sharks winger Logan Couture particularly costly. Couture had been freed by a goal-line-to-opposite-blue-line pass from Brent Burns less than five minutes into the game.

"You have a chance to take the lead right there," Couture said. "Against a team like this, you can't miss that."

Two minutes later, B.J. Crombeen's goal put the Blues ahead off a nice wraparound feed by Patrik Berglund, who had two assists and has six points in the series.

The Sharks really brought it in the second, being denied twice on highlight-reel saves by Elliott. And they were controlling play in the third before a power-play goal by Andy McDonald made the lead two. Joe Thornton made it a one-goal game with 1:07 left and the goalie pulled, but the Sharks couldn't tie it.

"We had some good looks tonight. We're just snake-bitten, for whatever reason," Thornton said. "Now we're behind the 8-ball."

Briefly: As expected, the Sharks shook up their lineup and line combinations. Patrick Marleau moved from first-line winger to second-line center to start the game, swapping with Couture, and bottom-six forwards Michal Handzus and Brad Winchester were in the lineup in place of Dominic Moore and T.J. Galiardi. ... San Jose has lost all four of its home games against St. Louis this season by a combined 13-7.